by Jody Pardo
“What did he say?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t answer the phone, and he didn’t leave a message.”
“You’re not planning on calling him back, are you?”
“No. Hell no. Which is why I don’t know what he wanted, and I don’t care to know.”
“Good. Let’s leave it that way,” Aubs said with determination, and we continued our lunch with just the sounds of country music in the background and our jaws chewing.
We headed out with full bellies and stopped by the house so I could change into what Aubrey felt were "appropriate" clothes before meeting Kristi at the auction house. I felt like I was in a dress rehearsal for a play in high school. Stiff new Justin boots, riding jeans, a blue and white plaid western shirt with little pearl-white snap buttons on the chest flap pockets and a white cowboy hat to top it off, and I was ready to go. I was dressed the part, but I didn’t feel ready.
Aubrey insisted on a white straw hat. I wanted a black one. She said I needed to brighten up my face and it would keep my head cool in the sun. She sold me on the keeping cool part—it was hot as Hades and I was wearing jeans.
When we pulled up to the auction house, it was endless rows of pickup trucks in the parking lot and a sea of ranch hands in cowboy hats waiting to get into the building. Aubrey pulled around the back of the building and parked next to Kristi’s truck, and we entered the rear entrance to avoid the crowd.
Kristi was in her office trying to sort through a sea of triplicate form papers on her desk.
“Hey, Kristi, that’s quite a crowd you got out there,” Aubrey said.
“Yeah, I know, don’t remind me. The new calves came in today, and I have their papers, but Rufus over there—” she pointed to the black and white border collie enthusiastically wagging his tail at the sound of his name “—decided my floor looked better wallpapered. So now, everything is a big old mess.”
“Aw, Rufus, what did you do?” Aubrey teased and pet the dog, rubbing his head.
“Don’t encourage him! I have 100 calves out there and only four certificates on them.”
“We can help if you tell us what to look for,” I offered.
“Oh, bless your heart. Do you know anything about cattle?”
“Nope, but I do know about paper. You said you had four found. Show me what I’m looking for, and I can help before the natives get restless out there,” I reasoned.
“Oh, they can wait, the delivery is a day early anyways, but I would like them out my office. The sooner I get these papers sorted out, the sooner I can get rid of half that are sold already and get the others ready for auction.”
“Show me what I’m looking for.”
Kristi held up a triplicate form birth registration and a yellow card with a small plastic tag attached to it. “I need the rest of these. Each form has a matching card with an ear tag attached. I need both for each calf. One is the birth registration/transfer form, and the other is their identification tag that matches their ear tag.”
“Easy enough, what about the rest of this stuff?” I asked, pointing to the piles of disheveled papers on her desk and floor.
“Oh, I will get to that stuff another time. It’s old auctions and stuff I need to file. I just haven’t gotten around to it.”
I started sifting through the papers pulling out three ear tag cards and two triplicate forms right away. At least they were colored and easy to spot with little tags on them. “Why don’t you take care of the cowboys, and I will hunt for the papers?” I offered.
“Are you sure?”
“These are what you are looking for, right?” I said, holding up two matching sets.
“Yup, those are them. I suppose I can get them signed in. You’re a lifesaver, girl.” Kristi walked out to the front counter to the waiting ranch hands, and I heard her barking “hold your horses” and “yeah they are here but they are not yours until I say they are yours” to the impatient men.
“You okay in here for a while?” Aubrey asked me.
“Sure, it’s easy enough.”
“I’m going to go help get these calves sorted. If you need me, I will be out back.”
“I’m not going anywhere anytime soon by the looks of this,” I said, holding up a stack of a paper in each hand from the mix. Aubrey laughed and exited the rear entrance to the corrals.
About a two hours later, I had five stacks of papers. I managed to locate all the triplicate forms and ear tags, and as I sorted, I stacked a pile of invoices, old registrations, mail correspondence, and a small pile of miscellaneous notes and things. I brought the two stacks out to the counter to Kristi who was still checking in people.
“Here you go. Do you need the tags matched to the forms?” I asked.
Kristi turned to me with a shocked expression as I stood there with a bundle of forms in each hand. “You found them all?”
“You said one hundred, correct? That’s what I have. They are in number order, but I didn’t collate them.”
“Suzie, you are a lifesaver. If they are in number order, that’s perfect. Where have you been all my life? Can you stay for a while?”
“Sure, just tell me what you need.”
The rest of the day, Kristi manned the computer signing in ranchers and filling their orders, and I matched the orders to the forms I found and guided the men out to Aubrey and the guys in the corrals ready to load the calves into awaiting trailers to their new homes. Each calf was given an examination in front of the new owner, ear tag checked, each leg lifted to inspect their hooves, and given a brand. The new owners each carried their long iron with them and placed it in the waiting fire pit next to the corral. After the first branding, I went back inside to help Kristi. The squealing just made me want to cry. I knew it was part of the process, but I would rather deal with the paper.
When the last waiting rancher took his papers and tags to the corral, Kristi slumped in her seat and turned to me. “That was the smoothest day I have had in a long while. Thank you so much.”
“That was smooth?” I questioned.
“Smooth as silk. Usually it’s just me in here. You have no idea how grateful I am.”
“Glad to help. As long as you don’t make me brand anything, I will be just fine.”
Kristi laughed. “No branding, got it. Seriously, though, it really was a great day, and I could use the help. It would be part-time since we don’t have auctions every day. There is plenty to do, though, and if you can make sense of paperwork, then you will be a great help.”
“I sorted the other papers in your office,” I said quietly.
“You did?” Kristi hopped off the tall swivel stool at the counter and walked back to her office with me following behind. She stopped at her desk and eyed the stacks of papers outlining the perimeter of her otherwise clean desk. “I haven’t seen that desk top since—since I don’t know when. You have a job if you want one. Look at me moving you in. Are you staying?”
“For now. I’m on leave for four months. I’m not sure what I’m doing beyond that quite yet, but I will gladly help in the meanwhile. It will give me something to do. I was going kind of stir crazy to be honest.”
“Well, I will gladly use your help for as long as you're here. Tonight is the auction for the remaining calves. If you want to come down you’re welcome, but you sorting this paperwork was a big help. It will definitely run smoother than what I walked into this morning. It will be an experience for sure.”
“Will there be a guy that talks really fast?”
“The auctioneer? Yes, ma’am!”
“What time does the auction start?” I asked.
“Around seven when the sun goes down so we won’t bake outside. The guys will show the calves all day and start checking people in around six.”
“I will be here around six then to help you.” I gathered my purse, my new hat, and started to the door to find Aubrey.
“Thanks again for all your help today. See you later. Bring your hat!” she called to me as I reached
the door.
Bring my hat? Why? I imagine I will find out later, I thought to myself as I set my hat on my head and climbed into the Aubrey’s pickup.
Suzie
Aubrey dropped me off at home, and I took a short nap. A day of shopping and then helping out at the office had me drained. Aubrey went home to shower since she was sweaty and dirty from handling the calves. I was inside in the air conditioning, so I was good to take a shower and just get up, freshen up, and head back to the auction house.
I had always admired the fast-talking auctioneers and enjoyed watching them on TV. It was going to be fun. I got dressed in one of the new outfits Aubrey had picked out for me. From boots to bits, I was cowgirl down. My riding jeans were adorned with a new glittery belt with blue gems, and the light blue and grey plaid western top was midriff and tied in the front showing a hint of skin. When I heard her pull up, I grabbed my hat and purse and met Aubrey at the curb to head back to the auction house.
The parking lot was overflowing into the street with trucks and attached trailers for toting rancher’s newest additions. We weaved through the droves of vehicles and found our way to the back of the building to park Aubrey’s truck. Later on it would be empty as they all departed and would not be an issue getting out.
Kristi was perched at the counter like this afternoon signing in the ranch hands and recording information into the computer.
“Hey, Kristi,” I announced my arrival.
“Oh, Suzie, am I happy to see you! By any chance were you paying any attention when I was checking in people earlier?”
“A little bit. I was mostly just sorting the paperwork.”
“It’s pretty self-explanatory, and they need me out back in a little bit once the auction begins.”
“Well, why don’t we do the next one together and you can show me and then I can take over? I’m a quick learner.”
“Oh, you already proved that! Okay, next,” she yelled into the crowd as the next man in the nonexistent line stepped up to the counter.
We checked him in, and Kristi went through each step with me of gathering the needed information like their payment option, collecting their driver’s license, and if they had their own trailer or needed delivery of their cattle before handing him a large numbered paddle matching his registration number over the next few minutes before she left me to it.
I never realized so many people wanted to buy cattle. Registering people was easy enough, and I soon tuned out my surroundings and got into my groove. I heard people talking, but I couldn’t even hear the sounds beyond murmur anymore. They weren’t addressing me, so it didn’t matter.
“Suzie.”
The identification slid across the counter, and I started inputting the next customer’s driver’s license number. Funny how it was the first thing inputted into the system—not their name, their driver’s license number.
“Suzie.”
“I will need a credit card on file or a blank check please,” I said absently without looking up as I went to the next field.
Name: Maxwell Brewer
“Maxwell …”
“You could at least say hi,” a familiar voice broke through my mental revelry, and I looked up to see Max standing before me. Maxwell Brewer.
“Oh, hi! I didn’t see you standing there,” I blurted.
“So I noticed. How are you? I didn’t know you worked here.”
“I don’t, well I do, I’m just helping Kristi out.” Max got me all flustered.
“Oh, I thought you weren’t staying.”
“I’m not sure yet, but I will help Kristi as much as I can, while I am here.”
“Well, it’s good to see you again.”
“Same here. I didn’t know you were buying cattle. I thought you were a contractor.”
“I’m not, and I am a contractor. Cattle isn’t the only thing for sale.”
“Oh, I have no idea.”
“Don’t you know Saturdays after dark they do a lady auction?”
“A lady auction?” I questioned.
“Cattle auction at seven then the single ladies' auction for dinner at eight,” he said flatly. I stood there stunned, and before I could respond, his grin slowly crept across his face. He laughed, and I slid his identification back to him and scowled. “Aw, I’m sorry I couldn’t resist. They do have other things for sale, though.”
He stepped to the side as the next man approached the counter tipped his hat at me and slid his identification across the counter.
“Maybe I will see you later on the block at eight.” He winked back at me and walked out to the parking lot.
The auction started, and I was still checking in the last few late registrants. I hurried to get them signed up so they could go bid and I could watch the auction. I grabbed the laptop and headed out behind the office to the stage where the cattle and items for auction were being shown. The loudspeaker blared, and I couldn’t make out the garbled rapid-fire speech of the auctioneer.
My pulsed raced with anticipation as I took a seat toward the back of the arena next to Kristi.
“Hey, girl, everyone signed in?” Kristi asked as I handed her the laptop.
“Yes, ma’am. How’s it going?”
“They are just getting started. Let’s pull up the lots.” She exited out of the registration portal and pulled up an inventory list. All of the animals, land plots, and various pieces of equipment were listed by number in a spreadsheet.
“Sometimes they don’t go in order since there are animals involved and they have to trot them on and off stage and such, but everything is listed right here,” Kristi said as she pointed to the screen. “The auctioneer has a similar portal and will add the winning bid and winner number off their paddle here,” she said pointing to the column where a few prices were already added, “so we can charge them later.”
The auctioneer took the podium as the next young calf was led across the stage. Each leg was lifted, his mouth was opened showing his tongue and teeth, he was turned every which way so everyone could see every possible angle including his castrated testicles. He would be a feeder to be raised for beef. The paddles started going up and down in the crowd as the auctioneer rattled off increasing bids and countdowns at a dizzying rate. He pointed to each paddle feverishly acknowledging each bid.
As he slowed and the bid reached its high, it sounded like a skipping CD as he stuttered out the last bid reaching for the next possible highest bid before starting his countdown, “$331 going once, last call, $331 going twice, sold to Number 447.” His gavel landed on the podium and the 295-pound calf was led off the stage.
“Not a bad price,” Kristi mumbled.
“Really?” I questioned.
“Yup. They like to fatten them up themselves. When the calves are young and small like that, the ranchers can raise them as they see fit to get all the marbling on the meat. Once the steer gets big, their muscles are pretty much set.”
“Wow, I never knew there was that much to it.”
“Oh, sweetie, it takes more than a pretty grill to make a good steak,” Kristi said before laughing.
The next lots were some saddles and tack. They were placed on a wooden horse after the assistants walked back and forth across the front of the stage turning them all ways pointing to the markings burnt into the leather as the auctioneer described the saddles.
“Those are a pair of saddles for a roping team.” Kristi told me, leaning toward me. I wouldn’t know one saddle from the next. The day was full of newly-learned knowledge.
After the auction lots flowed in and out off the stage, Kristi looked at her watch and said, “I better get inside and cash out some of these guys out or I will never get out of here tonight. Most of the cattle are done.”
I looked at my watch and it was a little after eight. Max’s words rang in my ears.
“You coming?”
“I will be right there.” Kristi left me on the bench, and I watched as a new auctioneer approached the podium. The first lot w
as a tractor. A few more pieces of small farm equipment followed. The auctioneer’s words were truly a blur because there were no displays or animals to look as he spouted off lot numbers, model numbers, and the rapid-fire countdown of bids.
I got up and returned to the office to help Kristi cash out the night's auctions. I should have known Max was just messing with me.
Suzie
Centerville was the perfect mix of modern living and back to basics. As I curled up on the couch and stared across my small living room to the flat screen TV and Blu-ray player sitting idle on the distressed wood stand flanked by carved horse silhouettes with retired harnesses and spurs hanging from them, I felt at peace. I had been working on my cross stitch horse pattern, and it was coming along nicely, and I hoped to have it done by the end of the weekend.
The pattern only came with enough materials for the horse itself so I would need to go into town and pick up some more embroidery floss to make a background for it. The sounds of clinking and horses neighing caught my attention, and I peeked out the window, and it looked like an old western movie. Four horses were saddled and tied to Kelli’s porch. There were no vehicles in the driveway, just horses.
The knock at the door broke my trance as I tried to regain sense of time and place. Aubrey stood on the porch. I opened the door, and she handed me my white cowboy hat off the hook adjacent to the door.
“Time to ride,” she announced.
“Wait, what?”
“We have to go run the perimeters and exercise these horses. There are some broken fences in the back pasture that need mending, so go get dressed.”
“I don’t know how to fix a fence.”
“You don’t have to fix anything. That’s what the men are for. We just need to tell them where it needs fixing. That sweet painted mare hasn’t had a nice long ride in a while. Don’t worry she is gentle; she will be happy to get out for the day.”
I looked down at what I was wearing, and I had been lounging around the house in my usual yoga pants and a tank top pretty much all day. I hadn’t planned on doing much of anything besides finishing up my cross stitch.